Description

Count Raven’s third full-length studio release ‘High in Infinity’ is a clear continuation of their previous effort ‘Destruction of the Void’ and holds 13 doomy candies. These days when we talk about Doom-metal or even about traditional Doom, there are so many different developments, some which stray very far from the original Doomy path. There also are a host of “proto-doom” acts, which can feature too much rock, blues or heavy metal influences for some fans. Count Raven in all this is a shining beacon of doom metal. Whenever I think of a band that embodies all that I myself associate with traditional, old school Doom, then I think of Count Raven. ‘High on Infinity’, and esp. the opener ‘Jen’, perhaps illustrate this best. The slow pace of the music, the heavy riffs, the lyrical topics, everything just breathes Doom. Count Raven are daring enough to experiment (like the use of keys on ‘The Dance’) but stay within the boundaries of Doom-metal. Overall this album illustrates well how to make Doom-metal without fusing with other genres, yet also sounding fresh and original. This is a rare gift within any musical genre and I do think Count Raven is under appreciated, their talent ignored by many newer doom-fans. Compared to their previous ‘Destruction of the Void’ it’s a little better on both overall sound and individual songs. More songs on ‘High on Infinity’ just stick with you, while the overall feel is a bit more continuous. Overall however, both albums don’t differ that much in quality from one and other.